There seem to be two kinds of campers. On the one hand, you have people who grab a can of beans and a blanket and they’re off. They have a great time and enjoy the rugged simplicity of the great outdoors. More power to em’. We fall into the other camp. We love watching new gadgets come out every year that are lighter, more efficient, and easier to use. We love to be out in the woods for the weekend, but we want to be comfortable too. We want to sleep like a rock and eat like kings. Here are a few gadgets that will make your excursion easier, safer and more enjoyable.
Lifestraw
We certainly aren’t the first ones to award Gear of the Year to Lifestraw, but it’s such an amazing product that we had to join the ranks. It filters up to 264 gallons of water, and can be used immediately. There is no waiting for water to disinfect. It’s lightweight, and has a shelf life of 5 years. It’s only $20, and has already saved countless lives around the world. It’s revolutionary simplicity places it among the most innovative products for outdoorsman in recent years.
Visit the Lifestraw Website
MSRP:Â $19.95
Luminaid
The Luminaid is a lightweight, solar powered, inflatable, waterproof LED light. Did you get all that? The Luminaid isn’t going to blaze a trail through a dark woods for you, but it is going to light up your tent, for free, for a long time. It folds up to the size of an iPod and can clip on the outside of your backpack to charge it during the day. At night, it offers plenty of light, allowing you to get situated in your tent. It’s a fantastic little light.
Visit the Luminaid Website
MSRP:Â $19.95
Coghlans Adhesive Signal Light
These little adhesive lights are awesome. Forget glow sticks. These work for 80+ hours and can be seen from ½ mile away. We can think of all sorts of camping situations where they’d be handy. Stick one at your campsite entrance for family members coming back in the dark. Put them on your kids bikes and/or backpacks. Put one on the pit toilet at a primitive campsite. Simple to use, and 80+ hours of run time make it worth the purchase.
Visit the Coghlans Adhesive Signal Light Website
MSRP:Â Varies
Zippo 4-in-1 Woodsman
This thing is like the ultimate multi-tool for campers. You can sheer the limbs off 3 inch deadfall and cut it up with the bow saw for the fire. Instead of using your foot, you can pound tent stakes in with the Woodsman. And if you had to pound them in, they’re not coming out easy. The Woodsman has a tent stake puller as well. The ax came surprisingly sharp. It’s a little tricky getting used to the ax-to-saw conversion, so read the instructions. All in all, a nice addition to the camp box.
Buy the Zippo 4-in-1 Woodsman at Bass Pro Shops
MSRP:Â $79.99
Delorme inReach SE Satellite Communicator
If you’re the kind of camper that favors remote campgrounds and even more remote trails it’s smart to have some kind of foolproof way to communicate in an emergency. The Delorme inReach allows you to stay in touch with friends and family anywhere on the planet. Share GPS coordinates, allow people to ping your location, and even post to social media to share your adventure. The safety plan (cheapest option) is $9.95 an month for 10 messages – plenty to send help your way if the unexpected happens.
Visit the Delorme inReach Website
MSRP:Â $299.95
